The special effects in the movie: the trilogy "Back to the Future"

1980 was rich in religious tapes. A year before the "Back to the Future" was first "Terminator", were later "Aliens," "Predator," "Robocop" and many others. Almost all the films of Robert Zemeckis, one of the authors of the idea of ​​time travel by car, welcoming atmosphere of good stories, initiated by the project with comic-mad dock Emmett Brown and Michael J. hero. Fox.




Trilogy "Back to the Future" is deservedly called a cult, and for many it still remains one of the nostalgic bridges in childhood or adolescence. Today closely at the most notable episodes of the trilogy, and learn how they were shot.



By the time we started shooting the first film directed by Robert Zemeckis already had the reputation of a master of adventure productions thanks to the movie "Romancing the Stone". Hollywood bosses trusted him and did not spare the money. Yet the special effects used in the film is not so often - only three dozen times, and almost all of them related to the car. On the creation of visual effects that add to the tape in just a few weeks before its rolled employee studio of George Lucas Industrial Light & Magic. They added drawn using computer flash accompanying the transition from one period to another, as well as the zipper in one of the final episode.

By the way, no lightning could not be at all. The original version of the scenario assumes that the necessary travel time energy docking and Marty will find on the nuclear tests in the Nevada desert. But then managers estimate that for such surveys only one small episode will need more than one million dollars (about two million dollars today, adjusted for inflation).



One of the main "chip" of the film and became a symbol of the entire trilogy DeLorean DMC-12, in which the main characters to travel in time. It is said in the first scenario featured an abstract laser unit in the office of the dock. Then someone suggested a fantasy: to get into the past and future spectacular all in the fridge! Fortunately, this idea was abandoned, fearing for the health of thousands of babies who after rolling tape certainly try to test the magical properties of the refrigerator at home.





Why is the role of a time machine picked DeLorean DMC-12? Perhaps the explanation sounds in the film out of the mouth of the dock: since you're doing such a contraption out of the car, then why not look stylish? Of course, do not forget that the stainless steel body DeLorean beneficial effect on the swirling flow of time. And Robert Zemeckis team decided that the DMC-12 is very similar to the alien ship and fits perfectly in a humorous scene when the family farmer finds a time machine in his hangar and takes her for a UFO.



This serial DeLorean DMC-12

Cinematic version of the DeLorean DMC-12



DeLorean DMC-12 - really existed a sports car that was produced from 1981 to 1983. Machine design was so unusual for the time, that endow it with more "futuristic" for the film almost did not have to. Is that hitched a "nuclear reactor", or rather an old man body component Dodge Polaris, and hung with those found in a landfill aviadetalyami. Total filmmakers took three copies of the DeLorean, each of whom worked on the set at 100%.



To create the effect of frost have just returned from a tour of the car used was nitrogen - DeLorean literally frozen. Fire also traces left by the car sped away, - a common spilled fuel that ignited manually. The filmmakers decided to use these relatively cheap effects, although long been considered a version with stretch and contract like a rubber band, DeLorean. But as a result of this trick refused: it was expensive to do for a long time, and today it certainly would look hopelessly outdated.





"Adults" machine not without toy doubles. The filmmakers have created several reduced models DeLorean. They hung in the air in a special sleeve, plan on a blue screen, the place which is then superimposed the desired video clips. The same technique was used later on the set of the second and third parts of the trilogy - all flying cars and trains were duplicated in the toy format with which filmmakers work much more convenient.









One of the biggest items of expenditure were not the toys and the triple "charged» DeLorean, and scenery. The entire town of Hill Valley is not related to any of the really existing settlements and has been created in the outdoor pavilion film studio Universal. Millions of dollars are spent on it to create the scenery central square with all the provided script buildings. In the first part of the brand-new facades were first used for the filming of scenes that took place in the 1950s. Only towards the end of the shooting period decorations specially old, to show now, that is the mid-1980s.



The most saturated by the presence in the frame of various visual effects was the second part of the trilogy. It is not surprising, because the protagonists most of the screen time in the future. And this time the actors had hard times. Particularly unlucky Michael J. Fox. In one scene he had to play old-Marty, as well as his son and daughter. The problem is that all of them should be present in the frame simultaneously. Grimirovka actor in each of the three characters takes about four hours. First filmed role of the father, and then - a son, and finally, his daughter. Then get the footage simply superimposed on each other - so get the illusion that the kitchen at the same table at the same time sit three people. All is in the frame props advance glued to it after the installation is not "jumped" from place to place on the film.





Creating Hill Valley of the sample in 2015, the filmmakers did not want to follow the fashion in the 1980s, the trend to portray a future in dark tones a la Orwell. "Back to the Future 2" is much more optimistic and colorful. Much attention is paid to Robert Zemeckis vehicle fleet of the future. To save a little, it was decided to borrow some ready-made models of machines already published a science fiction movie. For example, in various episodes of cars can be seen from the "Blade Runner" and "The Last star fighter." Also in the film a lot of concept cars, modified Ford Probe and Mustang.









Robert Zemeckis really did not want to disclose the secret hoverboard. He even joked (with a straight face!), Which is the usual skate, but without wheels, and in the air, he holds due to the magnetic field. These gizmos, they say, are already being produced in secrecy, but the crew managed to get incredible efforts of a couple. In fact, everything was much more difficult. When Marty or other "hoverbordistov" shown above the knee, were shown on the screen usual "pokatushki" on skateboards. To create the effect of easy glide over uneven surface, the entire area of ​​the town covered with plywood sheets. In some scenes the main character to ride a trolley easy.







In addition, the engineers had to come up with a complex system of belts fastened on the crane. By belts hung actors, and those almost really flew in the air. Most Viewers impressive shots when actors shown below the knee, with soaring hoverboard and kicking them. To remove these episodes, to the boards tightly screwed shoes, characters in the film were placed on a special installation and drove until all action shoot camera.







But the flying machines in the scene when Marty goes to the city of the future, added in layers, just like in Photoshop: first details were worked trajectory of one car, then another, and so on.. In the end, all models were filmed on a blue background, as required Robert Zemeckis, and "glue" with field personnel.





One of the few truly computer special effects in the film - virtual shark with posters, "bite" of the protagonist. Play funk Michael J. Fox had to own, no he did not see the shark. The effect itself added much later to have footage.



Most experts in special effects proud moment of landing a flying DeLorean. There before them was not an easy task - to make sure that the audience does not notice the trick. The fact that the first shot we see in the hand-drawn model that smoothly lands, and that's before the eyes of the viewer is a completely real car with Marty and dock inside. The scene turned out so real that even the most attentive "critics" could not see the point of transfer of the drawing in real DeLorean. This crew helped lantern successfully divided the car before and after the "conversion". Workers in the studio of George Lucas sweated a lot, combining frames, as well as the play of light and shadow.



The third part of the "Back to the Future" was filmed in western traditions, and room for special effects in it almost was not. But the picture has been farmed out to the top ten Hollywood stuntmen who are willing to fight, ride a horse and jumped on the wagon train.



At this time, the lion's share of filming had to be moved from open pavilions Universal Monument Valley - almost red desert with some towering cliffs. Just right for a film about cowboys and time travel!







From a technical point of view, the most serious in the "Back to the Future 3" was the episode with the train. Firstly, many tricks performed at high speed and were dangerous to life actors. Secondly, the film crew had to whatever was to lose the old steam locomotive with unfinished rails. Do it with this train was unreal, so Robert Zemeckis resorted to proven reception - took a smaller copy of the locomotive. On the layout worked for about two months, and then it was filled with explosives, dispersed on a specially built tracks for him and destroyed a couple of seconds.



In the same scene, where yet tselehonkim train accelerates to a DeLorean, many shots were filmed backwards - in reality, the locomotive is coming back. This was done primarily for safety reasons. Who knows, maybe the car with Michael Fox inside derailed?



When Marty finally returns to his time, DeLorean goes on existing rail lines. A couple of times a day, it took the train, and at this time the car had to take off the rails.



A spectacular end to the adventures of Marty put the episode with the destruction of a time machine. Directed donated train real car, not the layout, so that the screen we see the fluttering of a collision with a locomotive debris serial DeLorean DMC-12. To the car did not move off the rails, it "weighted" wet sand. To heighten the effect of car stuffed with dynamite, sawed in several places and blew up just at the moment when a train collided with a DeLorean.



Robert Zemeckis stopped in time and did not make a trilogy of TV series like "Star Wars". Spectators were delighted with the "Back to the Future" and demanded, asked and even begged to stay in the fourth film about the adventures of Marty and dock. It is hoped that none of the current Hollywood bosses will not come up with the idea to spoil the impression of the good old franchise some remake.

Source: news.21.by